Final answer:
Youth and pop culture have overtaken high culture and the business sector in shaping Japan's international identity. This reflects the challenges and changes brought upon by factors like globalization, demographic shifts, technological advancements, and the influx of counterculture in mainstream societal values.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to McGray, youth and pop culture have overcome high culture and the business sector in shaping Japan's identity in the international sphere. This situation exemplifies the broader cultural dynamics influenced by globalization, generational shifts, and technological advancements.
Japan, which has historically boasted a homogeneous culture with 99 percent of its population being Japanese, has been compelled to confront a labor shortage due to a serious population decline and negative population growth patterns. This shortage mainly involved low-level service positions historically filled by the younger demographic. Unlike Western Europe and the U.S., where similar youth cohort declines have been offset by immigration, Japan finds such cultural shifts unattractive, necessitating a need to find alternative solutions.
While Japan's post-WWII economic boom was aided by U.S. investments and preferential market access, it has since evolved into a center of high-tech innovation. Over time, the evolution of Japanese culture and economy reflects a departure from a U.S.-centered globalization to one where Asia, and particularly Japan, wields growing economic influence.
However, globalization and the proliferation of information via the Internet has created challenges in preserving cultural identity. This underscores an ongoing debate about globalization's impact, whether it engenders a 'McDonaldization' or allows for the retention and celebration of cultural uniqueness.
Amidst this backdrop, the counterculture and popular entertainment have reshaped societal values, as demonstrated by significant cultural influencers like Hollywood and social media platforms. This influence is so profound that observers like Os Guinness suggest mainstream culture now often marginalizes traditional values.